Shelliscape gets her 'Wish' to stay perfect

Shelliscape remains undefeated after capturing the lone Whenuwishuponastar Stakes elimination for two-year-old pacing fillies Thursday evening (July 28) at Mohawk Racetrack. The Bob McIntosh filly picked up her third win in three career outings with harness racing driver Randy Waples in the sulky

Shes Astronomical (Sylvain Filion) was the tempo-setter for the $20,000 tilt, holding the lead through fractions of :27.3, :57.4 and 1:26.1.

Before the half, the parked out My Gal Mattie (Peter Core) made a bid for the front, with Ram Rocker (Mark MacDonald) catching cover followed by Shelliscape who was third-over.

My Gal Mattie could not pass Shes Astronomical and at the three-quarter marker Waples pulled Shelliscape three-wide from sixth. The 6-5 favourite came from off-the-pace to win by a neck in a career best clocking of 1:53.4, over a hard closing Angel Scent (Paul MacDonell).

Big Mcdeal (Jody Jamieson) got up for third.

"I prefer racing them from off-the-pace if it's going to work out that way," said Waples, following the win.

"It just seemed like there was only a few leaving, but it looked like she was going to get away in the middle of the pack. I was cool with that."

Waples thought Shelliscape had a lot of work to do to find the winner's circle.

"When the half flashed up in :57.4, that was a little bit discouraging," he added.

"The flow kept going forward so that helped and she was dragged into it four, five lengths out of it at the three-quarter pole so basically she had a second to make up. I'm not going to say that it's easy for her, but definitely was within her reach."

Owned by Robert McIntosh Stables Inc, C S X Stables and DM Stables LLC, the brown filly now has a bankroll of $27,000.

The daughter of Artiscape-Shell I Scoot paid $4.70.

The elimination winner has earned the opportunity to select their post position for $50,000 final. The top 10 finishers advance to the Whenuwishuponastar Stakes final on August 4.

Here's how the freshmen fillies will line up behind the gate next Thursday: